Preparing for and managing tax deadlines is essential for small businesses in Canada to avoid penalties and keep finances in order. In all instances, if the deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday the deadline is extended to the next business day.

Key Tax Deadlines for Canadian Businesses

1. Payroll Remittance Deadlines If you have employees, payroll remittances to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) are a top priority. These payments include income tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions, and Employment Insurance (EI) premiums.

• • Monthly remitters: Payments are due by the 15th of the following month.
  • Quarterly remitters: Payments are due by the 15th of the month following the quarter.
  • Accelerated remitters: An accelerated remitter refers to an employer who must remit employee payroll deductions (like taxes and contributions) to the government more frequently than others.

CRA classifies employers based on their average monthly withholding amount (AMWA) from two years prior:

• • Thresholds:
    • Regular Remitter: Less than $25,000 AMWA.
    • Threshold 1 Accelerated Remitter: $25,000 to $99,999 AMWA.
    • Threshold 2 Accelerated Remitter: $100,000+ AMWA.

• • Filing & Payment Requirements for Threshold 1 Accelerated Remitters
    • You must remit semi-monthly instead of monthly.
    • Payment deadlines are based on your payroll end dates:
      • 1st to 15th of the month → Payment due by the 25th of the same month.
      • 16th to end of the month → Payment due by the 10th of the following month.
    • If you only pay monthly, then remittances are due by the 10^th. If you pay bi-weekly or semi-monthly, you will likely have payments due on both the 10^th and the 25^th.

Threshold 2 remittance deadlines are even more frequent and shorter. 4 times per month and due within 3 days.

2. GST/HST Filing Deadlines
   Your GST/HST filing frequency depends on your annual sales.

• • Annual filers: Returns are due three months after your fiscal year-end.
  • Quarterly filers: Returns are due one month after the end of each quarter.
  • Monthly filers: Returns are due one month after the end of each month.

3. Corporate Income Tax Deadlines

• • T2 return: Due six months after the fiscal year-end.
  • Balance owing: Due two months after the fiscal year-end (three months for eligible small CCPCs).

4. Personal Income Tax Returns (T1)
   If you’re self-employed or operate a sole proprietorship, your personal income tax return (T1) is due June 15, but any balance owing must be paid by April 30 to avoid interest charges.
5. Personal Installment Payments
   Installments for taxes owing are typically due on March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15.
6. T4 and T5 Filing Deadlines
   If you issue T4 slips (for employees) or T5 slips (for dividends/interest), these must be submitted to the CRA and sent to recipients by the last day of February.

Penalties for Missing Tax Deadlines

• Late filing of a corporate or personal tax return incurs a penalty of 5% of the balance owing, plus 1% for each month late, up to a maximum of 12 months.
• Late payroll remittances are subject to penalties starting at 3%, increasing with the delay.

Tips to Stay on Track with Tax Deadlines

• Set Reminders: Add all tax deadlines to your calendar.
• Use Software: Accounting software can help track due dates and payments.
• Stay Organized: Keep financial records updated throughout the year.
• Plan Payments: Prepare for upcoming deadlines to manage cash flow.

Accounting and Advisory Support for Small and Medium Canadian Businesses

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